ANF firewood permits on sale Sept.27

Josh Cotton

Staff Reporter

jcotton@timesobserver.com

Permits for the collection of firewood on the Allegheny National Forest go on sale later this month.

Sale for the permits of personal use firewood for fiscal year 2020 will go on sale on September 27 and go into effect on Oct. 1.

The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30 each year and are the dates for which the permits will be valid.

Cost is $20 for four cords of wood per year and $50 for ten cords of wood per year.

A statement from the ANF outlines the rules with which people must comply as permit holders.

“You may cut a standing tree if 20 percent or more of the bark is missing and there are no indications that it is market for timber use or has any wildlife living in it,” the statement indicates. “You may cut any tree that is already laying on the ground.”

“You may not cut any standing tree that is of timber quality, this is strictly prohibited and monitored.”

Those utilizing these permits must carry the permits while “cutting and/or harvesting wood” and may only “cut wood from trees that are along Forest Service Roads.”

Additional information will be provided when a permit is obtained.

“Forest Service Law Enforcement regularly checks for permits and ensures permit holders are following the rules,” the statement said.

For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the ANF sold 681 of these permits, down slightly from 747 the year before and 763 during the 2016-2017 fiscal year, according to ANF Public Affairs Officer Christopher Warner.

They can be acquired at the ANF headquarters in North Warren and at the district ranger offices outside Marienville and off Rt. 59 in McKean County.

Additionally, Forest Service personnel will be at additional locations in order to sell these permits: Forest County Visitor’s Center in Tionesta on Tuesday, Oct. 1 from noon to 3 p.m. and the Ridgway Chamber of Commerce at 300 Main St. on Tuesday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.